Weaving Wishes

Long before we retired, Rick and I acquired two rigid heddle weaving looms. These looms are not terribly sophisticated, but we were way too busy while we worked to really even try them.  We have owned a large, eight-harness Schacht floor loom for many years; sadly, that loom, too, has sat idle for many years.

At last, though, we can start to get back into some of the hobbies that we enjoy.  A few years ago we bought a table loom at an estate sale in Door Coounty.  Rick refurbished it, built a stand for it, and we took it to Florida.  In the course of all of our remodeling, I only found time to put one project on the loom.  The tension on the warp (the threads on the loom itself) was uneven, so the whole project was not a great success.  I would like to try a new project when we return to Florida this fall.  With two looms, we both can weave if we both want to create something at the same time.

As we have been cleaning out our basement, I came across the two rigid heddle looms once again.  One is a full loom, and one is a loom that folds for easier transportation.  I mentioned to Rick that it would be good to have a rigid heddle loom in both states, but we really have no table on which to rest a loom when we return to Gladys.  Our dining room table is small, round, and glass-topped, so that is out of the question.  My desk in Gladys is new, large, and also topped with glass. It would work, but I really do not want to give up the space for a loom.  The solution?  Buy a stand for the second loom.

We looked in the catalogs and discovered that Schacht wanted over $200 for a stand for their rigid heddle loom.  "I can probably make the whole thing for less than $50.00,"  Rick said, "And I can make it out of maple to match the loom."  That notion sounded good to me.  I know that he is talented enough to make a loom stand because he already did so for the table loom that sits in the Florida room at Gladys.

For the last two days, we have been shopping for parts not only at the big box stores but also at Woodworkers Depot, Woodcrafters, and various hardware stores.  Once we had the raw materials gathered, Rick was set to begin.

The router table is heavier than it looks, so
we both had to carry it up from the basement workshop.

The bottom supports for the stand await drilling,
sanding, and securing to the rest of the stand.

We hauled the router table out of the basement, setting it up temporarily in the garage.  Rick wanted to work there because using the router creates lots of sawdust, and cleaning the garage is much easier than cleaning sawdust out of a workroom full of tools.  He started the task mid-morning, and by mid-afternoon he was finished.

The completed stand looks simple, but it took
both design skills and woodworking skills
to make it functional, collapsable, and adjustable.

I am delighted with the results.  I now have an adjustable loom stand that will allow me to work comfortably, to tilt the loom to make weaving fun, and to fold neatly when I want to store it out of the way.  We visited a yarn shop in Neenah where I was able to buy a skein of variegated yarn in shades of blue, navy, and purple.  I cannot wait to warp the loom and to weave a small scarf as my first project with a rigid heddle loom.  It should be fun, and the best part is that I can weave in the living room, in the den, or even on the back porch since the loom and new stand are so portable.

Making the adjustable slides by routing a
track through solid maple took time and
patience, but it works great!

I enjoy being retired and having enough time to finally pursue some of my hobbies. This stand will make weavinf on this loom easy and fun.